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Russian champions Zenit St Petersburg won their first European
silverware when second-half goals from Igor Denisov and Konstantin
Zyrianov secured a 2-0 victory over Rangers in the UEFA Cup final
on Thursday.
Denisov slotted home after 72 minutes and fellow midfielder
Zyrianov sealed victory with a close range effort in stoppage time
at the City of Manchester stadium to secure the trophy for Zenit in
their first European final.
It was the second UEFA Cup success by a Russian side in four
seasons following CSKA Moscow's triumph in 2005.
Rangers supporters had travelled south from Glasgow in their
thousands, easily outnumbering the Zenit fans inside the stadium
and thronging the city centre to watch on big screens.
Defeat ended their quest for an unlikely quadruple with the
Scottish League Cup winners still contesting the league title and
lining up in the Scottish FA Cup final later this month.
Zenit failed to reproduce their impressive demolition of
competition favourites Bayern Munich in the semi-finals but their
attacking qualities, honed by Dutch coach Dick Advocaat, were too
much for a spirited Rangers side.
Zenit gave an early demonstration of their counter-attacking
prowess when captain Anatoly Tymoschuk robbed a hesitant Brahim
Hemdani in midfield and a swift break ended with Andrei Arshavin
shooting narrowly wide.
Rangers quickly settled though and Zenit's Victor Fayzulin made a
well-timed interception to clear Jean-Claude Darcheville's
dangerous cross into the goalmouth in a decent opening for both
sides.
Intricate passing
The Russian side enjoyed plenty of possession with Tymoschuk at the
heart of some intricate passing moves. Fayzulin headed over an
Arshavin cross, then Alexander Anyukov tested Rangers goalkeeper
Neil Alexander with a rasping drive.
Rangers were content to soak up the pressure, showing little
attacking intent of their own as Zenit probed away with Arshavin a
menacing presence on the left flank.
Walter Smith's side conceded only two goals in eight games en route
to the final and their organised defence held firm.
Zenit's Turkish forward Fatih Tekke, handed a place up front by
Advocaat in place of suspended striker Pavel Pogrebnyak, was given
no opportunity to gain from a succession of Arshavin crosses into
the danger area.
Rangers were the first to threaten after the break when they at
last created a clear opening, Darcheville getting ahead of his
marker to fire a low shot that was parried by Vyacheslav
Malafeev.
In the ensuing scramble Rangers were adamant they should have been
awarded a penalty by Swedish referee Peter Frojdfeldt when Barry
Ferguson's flick appeared to strike the arm of Denisov.
Rangers were pushing further forward but in doing so left
themselves exposed to Zenit's swift counter-attacks which on 64
minutes nearly brought the breakthrough.
Alexander rushed out of goal to intercept a long clearance
downfield but Arshavin was first to the ball. Rangers were
fortunate to have two defenders alive to the danger and Sasa Papac
got back to clear Arshavin's curling strike off the line.
Zenit finally found a way to beat Alexander when Denisov and
playmaker Arshavin split the Rangers defence through the middle
with the former slotting the ball home from eight metres.
Konstantin Zyrianov struck the post from close range a few minutes
later before the midfielder kickstarted a Russian party by
converting Tekke's cross deep into added time.
